Titan Mythology: The Chronicles of the Dark Time
by Sarah Cabbage Patch
Summary: AU. Ancient Greece. The Demon Lord Diabolos has taken the king's daughters and it is up to the princes and their new-found friend to find them. Who will they meet along the way? And what part do the Immortals have in all of this?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans or the powerful, mythical Greek gods and goddesses. If I did, then these damn student loans would not be a problem anymore.

A/N: I AM ALIVE!! I know it's been over a year (maybe two, I'm not sure) and I am very sorry for my absence. I know I also have some stories in limbo here, but this story has been banging on the creative lobes lately and I felt the need to write something. I hope you all enjoy this new story and maybe sometime once I get settled and find a job and apartment then I can find some free time (hah!) to finish writing my other non-masterpieces. I apologize in advance if I get anything wrong. Just let me know and I can correct it. Enjoy!

* * *

King Andronicus paced back and forth before his throne, waiting impatiently. His wife, Queen Iphigenia nervously watched him, twisting her silken gown in-between her fingers. As her husband was striding across the room, she was reminded of the reasons why she cared for him so much. His strength and wisdom were reflected in his dark skin, his deep set brown eyes always channeling his emotions. The King was a very strong and powerful man, but he also held a great love for his family and his kingdom. If the moment was not a dire one, then she would have smiled at this genuflection. The throne room was empty save for a few guards and the entire castle was deathly quiet.

Every few moments the King would glance at the large double oaken doors at the end of the room before he went back to pacing. His lovely wife sat behind him at the throne, her red-rimmed eyes showing only love for him and anxiousness for the situation. Her strawberry-blond hair seemed to look pink in the light and her very fair skin shone like the moon throughout the dark room. His daughters got so much of their grace and beauty from his lovely wife. His thought about his daughters sobered him quite a bit and he went back to thinking about the task at hand.

"They should be here by now," he growled, furrowing his brow at the ground, talking to no one in particular. "I sent for them hours ago!"

"It has barely gone past half of an hour, my Lord," Queen Iphigenia quietly replied. "Relax, my Lord; they will be here momentarily, I am sure of it."

King Andronicus looked up from his walking to see his wife forcing a small smile. "Yes… right…. Of course," he replied, trying to give her the same smile. "I am sorry. I am rather anxious to get this matter resolved."

She nodded in response and the two were brought out of their reverie by the creaking of the large doors; two built and young men hurried into the room, obviously looking rushed and fretful. The young man on the right was shorter and had light brown hair, slicked back to reveal his large green orbs. He was more skinny than lanky and you could easily tell he was raised in a wealthy and pampered lifestyle, much like his friend. His skin was quite bronzed and his dark brown hair almost had a greenish tint, probably due to the fact that his kingdom's wealth was based on agriculture and animals, everyone there knowing how to garden and raise animals from a young age.

"My Liege," the shorter one answered, out of breath as he bowed before the king. "We came as quickly as we could; we did not realize the battle had extended this far this fast." He paused and glanced at his companion. "We also noticed the damage done to the castle….especially to the North Towers…."

He trailed off as everyone looked out the broken window, seeing a half-demolished tower amongst the dark red sky, screams of innocent villagers rising out of the darkness.

"I called you here to request your help," King Andronicus said, bringing everyone's attention back into the quiet castle. "I am afraid I have bad news, young princes."

"What, pray tell, has happened, King?" Prince Nereus asked, stepping forward. Nereus was almost the complete opposite of his friend, Prince Thirio. He was quite a bit taller and had more muscle in his stature. His jet black hair was just above his shoulders, but was also slicked back. Despite Nereus' kingdom being on the sea, he was quite a bit paler compared to Thirio. Most people said it was because he spent more time below the water than above it, causing his skin to rarely see the bright sun. His eyes were dark, almost onyx in the right light, but he still had the coddled look of any royal there in Greece.

Thirio also stepped forward, stopping next to his fellow prince. "Has something gone wrong? Do you need us to call upon the armies of our kingdoms to help you fight?"

"No," the king replied, looking solemnly to his wife and back again. "My army can handle this fight. I have a more urgent request for you, I am afraid." The queen looked out at the tower, suppressing a shudder before he continued. "I need you to travel across the country and bring something back that is very precious to me and to you as well."

The princes looked stricken but determined. "Anything my Liege," Nereus replied. "We are at your disposal during these dark times."

The king continued at Thirio's nod. "I need you to travel and hunt down the evil demon lord Diabolos…. He has taken my daughters…your betrothed ones."

The princes sat, stunned at this news, neither knowing what to say. Finally it was Thirio who spoke. "They are not….are n-not……_dead_…..are they….?

"We do not believe so," Queen Iphigenia answered, rising up from the throne. "Two of his minions broke into the castle and flew away with them. We know not why."

The heartbroken princes could say no more, letting the eerie silence envelop them. No one said anything for what seemed like hours. Fires could be seen rising out of the village, black, winged creatures dotting the blood red backdrop.

"You must go and find my daughters," the king spoke suddenly. "Once you find Gaia and Astraea, and bring them back here unharmed, we shall then wipe out the Demon Lord's army and prepare the wedding plans. You will both take my daughters to rule over your kingdoms….once they are safely returned, of course."

The princes nodded in agreement, still reeling from the grief that their dearly beloved wives-to-be were gone—kidnapped by demon minions for an unknown reason or purpose.

"Do we know where they have taken our loves?" Thirio asked. "I'm afraid I do not even know where to start looking. The demons have not yet reached my kingdom in the jungle and I have heard little of Diabolos, other than his numerous and inhuman cruelties. "

No one seemed to know the answer to his question; the Demon Lord had reappeared out of the history books in a manner of weeks, moving quickly and fiercely across the country. Damage and death followed in the wake of his minions and everyone cowered in fear, not knowing where his next target might lie. No one had ever seen Diabolos himself, but it was made known that he was the one behind these attacks. Word had spread that he had even overthrown the God Hades in the Underworld, using the dark depths as his lair where he would plan his next attack. It was also said that he was looking for something, but no one seemed to know what it was, and all were afraid they were the target.

"Sire," spoke one of the guards by the door, startling everyone who forgot they were there. "My grandfather used to tell me bedtime stories of the ancient days. I believe he told me of the story of Diabolos, and even the story of Persephone and the Underworld." He paused nervously, clearing his throat. "I was only a child, but I do remember him mentioning the infamous River Styx in his stories. It was said to be the gateway to the Underworld, the dividing line between the world of the living and the world of the dead."

"The River Styx, you say?" Queen Iphigenia mused, walking off of the platform to stand next to her husband. "My mother used to wake me every morning before she passed to overlook the horizon. We would stand there and look out over the land in silence for minutes, just watching the clouds and birds fly by. Before we went back inside she used to tell me that someday she would be traveling that path to meet Charon and he would ferry her over to the underworld and her eternity." She trailed off for a moment, her eyes watering a little at the painful memory. She turned to the young princes and continued. "Your path lies to the West. I know not the exact trail you will take, but you will know it when you are on it."

"There are horses, weapons, and armor for both of you waiting in the courtyard," the king interjected. "I'm afraid I cannot lend you any of my army at the moment, but I am sure that you will find help along the way. Surely we cannot be the only ones who wish to combat and defeat these evil demons."

The princes voiced their agreement as the large doors swung open and the king's general strode in. He was a mammoth-sized man and was King Andronicus' general for obvious reasons. He had been a childhood friend of Queen Iphigenia and his loyalty had never faulted for his king and queen. He took his helmet off as he crossed the threshold, his orange hair cascading down his back with little braids interwoven. He stopped just next to the princes and bowed down before the royals.

"Your armies are ready, Your Highness," he said, standing back up and placing his helmet back on.

"Thank you, Megalos," King Andronicus replied, placing a hand on his most trusted general's shoulder. "Prepare for battle. Have the army rid the kingdom of the demon spawn. I have already arranged for Athena's underground temple in the square to be used as a healing station. There are priests and medicinal men waiting to take care of any injured. I have also ordered some of the squires to go around and extinguish any fires that they can. I hope that we will not have to worry about this, but if there are any dead, then bring them back to the temple as well so we can prepare a burial ceremony as soon as possible. I trust that you will serve your king well."

"As always, Your Highness," Megalos replied, kissing the hands of his king and queen before retreating to rally his troops.

"My army will do what they can to help aid your swift departure," King Andronicus said, turning to Thirio and Nereus. "You should be able to leave the kingdom with very few problems. I wish you luck and may the Gods and Goddesses watch over you to Hell and back."

The king hugged the young men, as did the queen, as they set out into the darkness, on a mission to save their beloved princesses. After they had left, the king and queen said nothing as they held each other, wishing in their heart of hearts for their daughters to be safely returned to them.

* * *

The princes set out into the courtyard, easily finding the horses and items the king had left for them. They mounted the horses and quickly set off into the West. As they raced through Andronicus' kingdom, the king's army was fighting valiantly against the demons. More than once they were saved by one of these brave warriors as they tried to leave the kingdom. Neither had ever ventured this far from their own kingdom, so once they left the boundaries they were in completely foreign territory and only had the horizon to guide them. They were on a mission to an unknown destination, which held for them an unknown fate as well. Both princes had never fought in a true battle and they were both beginning to wonder how they would not let the king and their loves down.

They began to reach the outskirts of the kingdom when the unspeakable happened; the king's armies were beginning to be victorious in the villages and so the demons that were not killed were starting to leave for their lair. One of the demons happened to see the two princes making their way across the kingdom and decided that one more attack on two measly humans could be fun. The minion flew through the air towards the unsuspecting humans, ready to kill or maim both of them. The princes happened to look up just as they heard the awful screech and the demon was upon them. Nereus barely had time to draw his sword as his horse was spooked and threw him to the ground.

Thirio, unfortunately, was neither quick nor crafty and he was taken into the air by the demon's talons. They cut into his side as he screamed for help, looking below for Nereus as the ground got smaller and smaller. He finally found the little dot that he thought was Nereus as he scrambled to his feet, trying to decide what to do. Thirio was about to give up as suddenly the demon buckled and began to drop. The inhuman screeching rang throughout his ears and he barely had time to register that they were falling, and that he was no longer in the demon's grip.

Nereus watched from below as his companion fell through the air, wondering what had caused the demon to stop as well. His thoughts were interrupted by a gruff voice to the left of him, telling him to get the horse and to try and catch the falling man. Nereus reacted instantly, hopping onto his horse and rushing to catch Thirio; he didn't even think to look over his shoulder to see who or what had spoken to him. The only thing on his mind was finding and catching his friend and not failing on this mission, so close to the departure. His eye caught Thirio a few yards ahead, getting closer to the ground.

Thirio opened his eyes mere seconds before he hit the ground, which turned out to be a river that cut across the border of the kingdom. Instantly the cold, bubbling atmosphere surrounded him, as he felt crushed from all sides. Surely he thought he would drown in here, as he struggled to find the strength to swim to the surface.

Nereus did not make it in time to catch his friend, but he felt a sigh of relief as he saw him crash into the river below. As he got to the bank, he could see Thirio's form fighting beneath the waters as they carried him downstream. Without a second thought, he dove into the rapidly moving waters, swimming quite fast along the current to reach his friend. It took only a few seconds, but Nereus was able to reach him, grabbing his body as he now swam across the current to get to the bank and dry land. Nereus' love for the water and a childhood spent on the sea made him an excellent swimmer and it was an incredible ease to swim against the current, something which most of the strongest men could not accomplish.

Within a minute or so, Nereus had pulled Thirio out of the water and turned him on his side to expel the water that might be in his lungs; as he was waiting for his friend to begin breathing normally, he surveyed his wounds, reveling in the fact that they were not that deep and were quite minor. They were both lucky to be alive and relatively unharmed. Neither one spoke as they thought about how close to failure they had been, so early on in their mission. They both had doubts now in their ability to provide for and be worthy of their princesses. The thoughts were quickly pushed out of their heads as they heard a deathly scream back on the trail; Nereus helped Thirio up and they mounted the horse together to see what had transpired.

As they got closer to the trail, they could see the demon on the ground, covered in blood and obviously dead. The scream they had heard was its dying breath and they both stood in awe of the winged beast lying there on the ground. They dismounted the horse to get a closer look and to see what had killed it. As they neared the body, they were startled by a man walking out from behind it; Nereus quickly drew his sword, not knowing if this man was friend or foe.

"Easy," the man said, putting away his own sword and readjusting his bow and arrows on his back. "I am not your enemy."

Nereus sheathed his sword and the two princes waited as the man came closer to them, wiping his hands off on the ground. "I am Prince Nereus," he said, trying to sound less jumpy than he really was." And this is my companion, Prince Thirio. We were on a mission for King Andronicus when we were attacked…. We owe you our lives, stranger. With whom does your allegiance lie?"

The man chuckled as his fixed his long ebony hair back into a ponytail. "My allegiance lies with no one except myself and my family. But…. King Andronicus is a welcome friend of mine. My father and I do business with his kingdom most often."

The man walked forward and held out his hand. "I am Constantine, but most people just call me Stan. My father and I are blacksmiths on the edge of the kingdom. I saw your plight as I was on my way to offer my assistance to the king." He paused as he looked at the items from Thirio's horse lying scattered on the ground. "It looks like you might need some help mending those. Your sword is useless bent like that."

Thirio turned to look at his ruined tools and saw what Constantine had mentioned. He furrowed his brow and was angry that he lost his wits about him like that.

"Would you be willing to help?" Thirio asked, looking back to their new ally. "The king and his army have everything under control back in the kingdom, but Nereus and I obviously do need some help here. My sword needs to be fixed and we could use someone with your skills on our trip"

Constantine pondered the question, wondering whether or not he was interested in helping the pampered princes. "Well, if the king is alright back in the village, then I suppose I could help you mend your sword. As for joining you on your trip, well I just do not know yet. Let us go back to my shop and we will talk there. Is that alright with you two?"

The princes agreed and the three of them took off, following Constantine back to his home and shop, leaving the demon on the ground to decompose as a message.

* * *

The three men traveled mostly in silence, the two princes atop their horses and Constantine walking ahead of them on foot. They watched him from behind, studying the man who had saved them. He was taller than Thirio, but shorter than Nereus. His jet black hair seemed to shine in the evening sky, drifting lazily across his broad, muscled shoulders, bound by his ponytail. His years of being a blacksmith and being trained in the art of fighting by his father had done him well; he was an accomplished fighter and most women who met him believed him to be an accomplished lover as well. His skin was slightly tanned and his deep blue eyes gave him a boyish charm.

Despite his looks, the princes felt foolish that it was a mere blacksmith who had saved them and so they kept quiet for fear of further humiliation. Constantine could almost sense their emotions and he did nothing to hide the small smirk on his face as he led them back to his home. After about 20 minutes of walking, they arrived at his dwelling, getting off their horses and tying them up outside.

"Bring your stuff inside and I'll see what I can fix," Constantine said gruffly as the princes carried their items with them. "Just set it out in the yard while I go and check on my father."

The two princes did as they were told, looking around at the humble dwelling of their new acquaintance. About 5 minutes later, Constantine returned from upstairs and gave a good look over their weapons.

"The only thing that really needs work done is the sword," he stated, turning it over in his hands. "I can have it fixed in about half of an hour. While I'm working, why don't you tell me about this quest of yours?"

He began to work on it, lighting up the fires and tools he needed to re-bend the sword back into shape.

It was Thirio that spoke up. "Earlier in the day, the demon minions attacked King Andronicus' kingdom. He summoned for us not long after; we were on our way to the kingdom but had not known the peril it lay in. When we arrived, the village was in flames and the castle was destroyed in some places, it was horrible. We met with the king and queen where they told us what had happened. Apparently, the minions carried off his daughters, Gaia and Astraea, and, naturally, he wants them back."

"Why does the king not go after them?" Constantine grunted as he did his work. "After all, he is a war hero and incredibly strong. Why would he call upon two princes who obviously have no experience in these matters?"

Nereus and Thirio flinched at the knowledge, and Nereus was the one to respond. "A king does not need to do something as basic as this. He has a kingdom to run and cannot leave it in a time like this. As for why he called on us, I suppose he figured that since this was a personal matter for us, then we would take care of it and see it through to the end."

"Why is this a personal matter for you?" grunted Constantine again. "Your kingdoms are surely not needed by him?"

"Well, yes, our kingdoms are in talks of peace and shared opportunities," Thirio said. "But that is not the only reason it is personal. We…are engaged to be married with his daughters…"

"You?!" spat out Constantine, his back to the princes. "No offenses, but you two don't exactly fit the profile of someone King Andronicus would have picked for his daughters and heirs."

"Just because we are not physically endowed," refuted Nereus. "Nor are we experienced in the art of war is no reason to look down upon us or not to choose us as the future husbands for his daughters. We are good men! Maybe he figured that our kingdoms would be safe for his daughters and that we were gentleman enough to care for his family!"

Constantine just growled, rejoicing in the fact he had ruffled their precious feathers. "It is not an insult! It is merely an observation. I don't doubt that you are good men; you are just not the type I would have pictured him choosing for his daughters."

"Maybe it is because he did not choose us," Thirio interjected, wanting to make the situation friendlier and less heated. "King Andronicus was in talks with our fathers and it was his daughters that chose us, not him. So, please, let us not fight at a time like this." He stopped to look at the other two men in hopes to calm them down. "Constantine, we are on a mission to find the Demon Lord Diabolos in the Underworld, past the River Styx; we cannot do this alone and, obviously, we can use all the help we can get. Will you accompany us? It will surely mean glory for anyone who attempts to thwart the Demon Lord and who returns King Andronicus' daughters."

"I do not seek glory," Constantine huffed, finishing his work and letting the steel blade of the sword to cool. "I have never sought glory. And I never will. There is no reward in it." He paused before turning around to face them. "Your blade will be cooled within a few minutes. Until then, feel free to rest awhile, but I will not be accompanying you on your journey. I'm sorry."

Constantine walked away and went back upstairs into his home, leaving the two princes bewildered and less confident on their journey. Back in the house, Constantine had gone into his father's bedroom to check on him once more.

"Father?" Constantine asked, emotionless. "How are you feeling? Do you need anything of me?"

"Conny?" his father asked, turning his head towards his son's voice. "Is something wrong? I can hear it in your voice."

"Nothing is wrong, Father," Constantine lied. "I must sound tired from fixing the prince's sword, is all."

"Do not lie to me!" Polemistis rebuked. "I happen to be blind as a bat, not deaf as a doornail! Tell me, son, what is bothering you?"

Constantine sighed heavily. "It is the princes, Father. They are going on a mission to fight against the Demon Lord Diabolos in order to save King Andronicus' daughters. They want me to accompany them and earn the glory of winning such a huge battle…. I have no interest in glory and battles."

Polemistis turned his head away from his son, thinking of times past. After a few seconds his emotionless face was back again. "There is no shame in glory, son. There is no shame in battle either. As long as you do it by yourself and for yourself, you will succeed and be happy. It is only once you call upon those ungrateful and vengeful gods that things can go wrong." He sighed, trying to mask his inscrutable hurt. "You should go son and make a name for yourself. You deserve more than the life of a blacksmith. Maybe _you_ could be the hero that goes down in history."

Constantine ignored the emphasis his father put on 'you' and decided not to pursue what his father had meant with that statement. His father's detest for the immortal ones had spilled over onto his son and he did not want to disappoint his father.

"You think I should go?" he questioned. "But what if the gods try to take pity on me? Or want to give me help? Ask that I should worship them in order to win? I cannot do any of those things, even if it meant winning a battle!"

"If the gods know anything about me or you, son," his father replied sadly. "Then they know there is no hope in helping or asking anything of you. I have said my words to them and they know better than to interfere with any of my family—And look! We have done just fine for ourselves. We have not needed those meddlers, nor will we ever. If you go in order to improve yourself, win for yourself, be glorified by yourself, then you will succeed more than you ever would with the help of the Olympians."

Constantine pondered his father's words, never questioning where his deep hate for the Gods came from, only knowing that he could not trust them and that they were the reason his father was blind and had never even looked upon his own son. He weighed the situation, stayed and talked with his father for a few more minutes before going downstairs to check on the princes and their sword.

When he came down, he saw they were talking in the kitchen, probably discussing their course of action. Constantine went and grabbed the finished blade and went about putting a few essentials into a sack, including another sword and a bow with arrows.

"Stan?" Thirio asked, feeling somewhat of a friend to this man. "Is everything ready? Can Nereus and I be on our way?"

Constantine tossed him his sword and started putting some food into another sack as well. "Just give me a moment to pack away some food and we can be on our way."

"We don't need any food," Nereus replied. "The king gave us plent—did you just say '_we'_?"

"Are you two as dumb as you are inexperienced?" Constantine retorted with a smirk. "Yes, I said _we_. Unless you are rescinding your offer for me to accompany you?"

"No! No, not at all," Thirio interrupted, a smile spread across his face. "We welcome your skills and company on this mission. We surely need it."

Constantine smiled and the three young men loaded up their horses and prepared to leave.

"Where do we go from here?" Nereus asked, once they had started on the trail to the West again. "We have a direction, but no solid destination."

"We shall head for a small town on the outskirts of Delphi," Constantine decided. "I happen to do business with a man there who seems to know quite a bit about what's going on. He will be able to tell us where to go or who to find in order to locate the Demon Lord."

"Alright then," Thirio said. "The direction if delphi, it is!"

* * *

A/N: Okay, so I'm sure there are some of you reading this and going "This is NOT a TT story!!" Well, yes it is. I decided that I couldn't write a GREEK story with names like Jenny, or Garfield, or Richard, or Raven or anything like that because it just wouldn't sound Greek, let alone _ancient_ Greek. Which is why I left little clues as to who the characters are; if you didn't catch those, then there are some more clues below. Some of the characters have yet to be introduced, so therefore there will not be clues for their names or anything until they appear. Why spoil it, eh? So, here are the clues and I do apologize if the translations or anything are wrong. For the most part, I just used a baby names website. Lol.

Andronicus means "Victor over men"

Iphigenia means "Of Royal birth"

-- hin:t I did not like the literal translation of her name so I picked this one. I think it fits.

Thirio means "Beast"

Nereus means "Water"

Gaia means "Earth"

Astraea means "Star"

Megalos means "Large"

Constantine means "Firm, steadfast"

-- hint: again, not a literal translation. But I thought this fit his character quite well.

Diabolos (obviously) means "Devil"

Polemistis means "Warrior"

I hope you enjoyed this first installment and hopefully it will not get put on the backburner like my other fics, which are swimming quite a bit in my head again.

Lemme know what you think! And if you still have any questions, just send me a message or use that lil' review button down there!

Au Revoir for now!

SCP


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I am apologizing for the fight scene up front. If you happen to have read my other stories, then you know I am not that good at writing them so I'm sorry if you were looking for a good old-fashioned brawl. Also, I hope you all are enjoying my little story here; I'm not too sure since I haven't gotten any reviews just yet. I know the names might be bothering some of you, but I promise this is a TT fic and you will start to see more as the story progresses. It won't be a long one either, maybe 5 chapters and an epilogue or so. So just let me know if you're entirely confused or if you love it, hate it, wish it would burn, want it to have little baby ficlets, whatever! I thrive on comments and I like to know if there is even a reason to carry on and finish the story. So let me know how you are enjoying the story and I hope you also enjoy this next chapter!

* * *

Chapter Two

The three men went about their long journey towards Delphi, Constantine leading the way with the two princes behind him. For the most part, nothing was said, which was naught for Thirio who tried to start up conversation. He wanted to get to know this mysterious man who was suddenly helping them after pretty much telling them to take a hike. Nereus was silent and brooding, as always, keeping a watchful eye on their new companion, waiting for him to break off and kill them or something horrible like that. Constantine didn't really care for people burrowing into his personal business so he answered any and all of Thirio's questions as cryptic and simple as possible. They were about 20 minutes outside of the tiny town Constantine had traveled numerous times to, to do business, and he was content in the uncomfortable silence. Thirio, on the other hand, still wasn't.

"You've traveled these roads before, Stan?" Thirio asked, ushering his horse up next to him. "You seem very familiar with our destination. This person you know, is he a friend of yours? Do you know him well? Can he be trusted?"

Constantine just sighed. "Yes. Yes. No. Somewhat and I suppose."

"You _**suppose**_?!" Nereus accused, black eyes glaring at the man's back. "What does that mean?"

"That _**means**_, I guess we'll find out how trustworthy he is," Constantine answered, smirking back at the wary prince.

Nereus just sputtered at that remark as Constantine chuckled and Thirio even cracked a smile at his friend's frustrations.

"Have faith, Nereus," Thirio answered; turning his back so Nereus could not see him smiling. "I trust Constantine here and I do not believe he would lead us into more trouble. You should not have such little confidence in our travels. I believe we are being lead in the right direction. Pretty soon we will have saved our princesses, thwarted the Demon Lord, and taken our new wives back to our kingdoms. You shall see."

Nereus just pouted as they approached a tiny building adjacent to the main city, if you could really call it a city. The building was obviously full of stables, housing the many horses of the town. An older man was outside, brushing down a beautiful chocolate horse off to the side.

"Brutus!" Constantine called out, tying his horse up to a fence and sliding down to greet the man. "How are you doing, old man?"

Brutus looked toward the new voice and smiled, waving over to the men and walking away from the horse. "Constantine, my boy, is that you? I didn't think I had any shipments coming in this week. And did you hire some new assistants? Because they look kind of scrawny and weak."

Constantine laughed, shaking the man's hand and looking around. "No, Brutus, no you are not that senile just yet. I bring no shipments, just questions really. And these are not my new hires; they are new….acquaintances, I suppose you could call them. This is Thirio and Nereus; they came to me from Andronicus' kingdom."

Brutus shook Thirio and Nereus' hand, eyeing Constantine. "Andronicus, you say? I heard the demons had reached his kingdom and have set their sights on Delphi; people are leaving the city by the droves. No one wants to take the chance of being there even if there are no attacks."

"Yes the demons have attacked King Andronicus but his men valiantly fought them off," Thirio answered. "We were sent by the King himself to find the Demon Lord, destroy him, and return some of his most-valued possessions."

"What did he take?" Brutus questioned. "I had heard the demons were running off with minor things: gold, animals, a few carts and whatnot. But none of that seems very important to the King."

"I'm afraid that's all you get, Brutus," Constantine said, stepping in. "I don't think King Andronicus would want his personal business being blabbed around the country."

"Oh, right, of course not," Brutus replied, accepting Constantine's answer. "My apologies, young lad…. Well, then, what brings you three here anyway? You already have horses and I doubt an old man like me would do you any good fighting away demons."

"I came for answers, maybe directions," Constantine answered, becoming more serious. "We know a general direction of where we are headed, but nothing more than that. We don't even have an idea of what we're up against. We need more information on what's going on, where we can go, what we can do, anything!"

Brutus paused, thinking over Constantine's odd request. "So you really are going to try and fight the Demon Lord, huh? I thought maybe you were just making a joke." He harrumphed and was quiet for a little while. "Well, I don't know what more I could really help you with. I haven't heard too much on my end here, not too many people have. No one really seems to know much about the Demon Lord and his minions; not where they come from, why they came here, what they are after, nothing! It's been pretty quiet on that subject lately."

"So you can't help us at all?" Nereus questioned, a little too harshly.

"Well, no I'm afraid not," Brutus replied, looking forlorn. "I'm sorry Constantine, but I don't think I am going to be much help to you this time around."

The three men stood there silently, realizing they had now just wasted almost an entire hour and were just as far off as when they had started. Now they truly did not have any direction. Brutus looked around at the young men, looking quizzically at them.

"Well don't start getting all girly on me now," Brutus said, getting the attention of the now-somewhat-angry men. "Just because I can't tell you any more, doesn't mean someone else can't."

"What do you mean, Sir?" Thirio asked.

"Well, I don't know just how much this person can help you, but I have heard talks coming from all over," Brutus started, beckoning the men closer. "I've heard word that there is a young man named Hunter who has been traveling from city to city, following the demons. They say that he seems to be very skilled in hunting demons; that he was sent here by the Gods just for that purpose." Brutus paused as Constantine scoffed at the mention of the Gods, but continued on anyway. "He goes from city to city fighting the demons, and winning for the most part, too! He is very secretive and quiet and no one knows anything about him other than what he is doing. They say he works alone, but maybe he would consider helping you, or at least offering you the help you desire."

"This Hunter," Nereus asked, a renewed hope burning in his soul. "Do you know where we can find him? I know for a fact there was no one of such a name in King Andronicus' kingdom; we would have noticed him for sure. Is he close by? Can we reach him quickly?"

"No, he was not in that kingdom," Brutus answered. "Apparently a lot of people predicted that Delphi would be the next city under attack after Thebes a few days ago. King Andronicus' kingdom was an unpleasant surprise, I can assure you. No one seems to understand why he sent his minions there." He stopped again to lick his dry lips before he continued on. "I do know that he is staying in Delphi, anticipating the next attack. I, personally, do not know what he looks like, but I have heard that he can usually be found at The Coliseum, a local tavern in Delphi. It is about another hour or so from here. If you ask the owner there, he is sure to know where you can find Hunter. What you will find when you reach him, I do not know."

The three men felt rejoiced as they learned of this Hunter, feeling a little bit of hope burst forth for their unthinkable mission. They spent a few more minutes with Brutus, letting him look over their horses and giving them a rest before they continued on to Delphi. Now they had a direction and possibly another helpful companion. And so they began their trek to find their Hunter.

* * *

Their journey to Delphi was not a lonely one, for there were many people on the pathways out of the city. Most were heading in the opposite direction, giving the travelers odd looks, wondering why they were heading into possible trouble. For the most part, Constantine and the princes ignored the looks and pleas not to go any further, knowing that they needed to go there and find Hunter. The hour passed quickly and it was almost suddenly that they found themselves at the gates of Delphi. They dismounted their horses and walked them throughout the city.

Thirio stopped to ask a local merchant where the Coliseum was and gave the man some money for his help. They passed the Temple of Apollo at the center of the city, amazed at the crowds of people coming in and out, praying for safety and the lives of their friends and families. Constantine blatantly ignored this tomfoolery and ushered the princes faster towards a quieter part of the city, where the tavern lay. Thirio had, by now, noticed his friend's apparent dislike for the Gods and Goddesses, but knew better than to ask about it; if Constantine wanted them to know, then he would tell them in his own time. As they reached the tavern, they tied their horses up and Nereus agreed to stay outside with them to make sure no one tried anything sneaky.

As Thirio and Constantine entered the dimly lit tavern, they immediately noticed the extreme vacancy, as well as the seedy underbelly that did seem to be prominent in this establishment, adding to the dark and bleak atmosphere. Constantine quietly asked the man behind the counter if he knew who Hunter was and if he knew where they could find him. The man muttered something about 'damn people keep bugging the poor guy' and then pointed over to one of the darkest corners.

At first, Constantine could see nothing but the darkness, but as his eyes began to adjust, he could make out the faint outline of a cloaked figure and a few mugs on the table, most of which looked quite full. He gestured to Thirio and they began weaving their way back into the corner, ignoring the sneers of the vagrants as they passed by. They stopped at the table's edge as the hooded figure turned towards them. Neither of them could make out a face, or even a body; just gloved hands and an ominous cloak.

"Are you just going to stand there or did you have something to say?" a raspy voice croaked out from beneath the hood. "I really don't like people to invade my personal space."

Thirio blushed at the abrasiveness, clearing his throat and prodding Constantine to say something. Constantine just grunted at his companion's cowardice and scowled at the man.

"Are you Hunter?" he asked, somewhat roughly. "Or are we just wasting our time with some simpleton?"

"And who are you," the man replied, anger evident in his voice. "To be calling me a simpleton? If you ask me, that's no way to talk to someone you have never met and, I'm assuming, you are here to ask help of!"

Constantine narrowed his eyes at Hunter, not bothering to hide his annoyance; this man was reminding him of self-righteous Nereus and so he had to take a moment to recollect himself.

"You're right," he conceded, gritting his teeth the entire time. "I apologize." He paused to take a deep breath. "Would you object to us sitting down to talk with you? It is important and not a waste of time, I can assure you that."

The stranger seemed to contemplate the proposition and the two men began to think they were going to be out of luck once again. Suddenly, two chairs slid out from the table and Hunter moved the mugs over so they were not in the way.

"Would you care for a drink?" Hunter asked, his voice seeming somewhat softer and, Constantine briefly thought, somewhat feminine. He quickly forgot about it as the raspy voice came crawling right back. "These morons in here seem to think if they keep buying me drinks then I'll defeat the demons that more quickly….. Idiots. This lot really doesn't have the brightest ideas, but they don't bother me as much as those damn townspeople so I suppose it's the lesser of two evils."

Constantine instantly felt a swelling of approval at this new man; he seemed to be decent and he reminded him of himself and his father. He looked at the few empty mugs that Hunter did seem to be enjoying, eyeing the crystal clear liquid sloshing around inside. Even though he was starting to like the guy, he definitely did not approve of drinking heavily during the day, and especially in times like this. Thirio looked greatly uncomfortable, mostly because he stood out quite a bit and most of the tavern patrons were staring at him like he was their next meal ticket.

Hunter also seemed to notice this and felt the need to comment on it. "So what's with his royal highness, here?" he asked, directing the question at Constantine. "He sticks out like a sore thumb. You should have left him in the courtyard."

"His friend is out there watching our horses and I felt it was better that he came in since, technically, our visit to you stems from a mission _he_ was entrusted with and I just decided to tag along," Constantine answered, deciding honesty was best in this situation.

"Oh how gracious of you," Hunter mocked, looking back to Thirio. "And what exactly is this mission you have been given? And why does it concern me?"

Thirio looked frightened as he was put on the spot, but he swallowed hard and took a deep breath nonetheless. "I come from the kingdom of King Andronicus; my friend and I are betrothed to his daughters and he has asked for our help. You see, his kingdom was recently attacked by the Demon Lord's minions and the kingdom has suffered great peril. He has sent us on a quest to find the Demon Lord; we are to defeat him and to return what he has stolen from the king."

Hunter seemed to stiffen at his words, Constantine noticed, his hands closing tighter on the mug of clear liquid in front of him. "I had heard of the attack on his kingdom and I am sorry that I was unable to be there and help out." He paused and the two men were taken back by the sincerity in his voice. "King Andronicus is a very good man and he did not deserve that type of hardship. I cannot believe he would wish of you to defeat Diabolos, but I suppose every man has their secret purposes." He paused again before continuing. "What exactly are you supposed to retrieve? King Andronicus does not seem the type to quibble in trivial possessions."

Thirio looked to Constantine, who just nodded his command to tell Hunter the truth. "The Demon Lord's minions took something that King Andronicus treasures a great deal, as do my friend and I. They have taken his daughters, Gaia and Astraea."

Hunter gasped and a mixture of anger and worry swept momentarily over Constantine, emanating from the dark man. "And you are sure of this? They have taken the princesses back to Diabolos? Or have they killed them for sport?"

Thirio flinched at the bluntness of Hunter's words, but stood his ground. "The King assured us that they were not killed and they were simply taken from their tower. I suppose we cannot be entirely sure, but I think my heart would tell me if they were truly dead."

"This is definitely not good," Hunter hissed at no one in particular. "His minions have reportedly also taken three other princesses from neighboring kingdoms. Did you know that?" Hunter continued on at their surprised silence. "If Diabolos is collecting human women then there is only one purpose for them; he wishes to turn them in his demon brides so that he may breed more demons and inherit more of the Earth with mortal-bound children."

Thirio looked stricken at this news, at the thought of his wonderful Gaia subject to such horrors and Constantine seemed to feel the weight on his shoulders grow heavier by the second.

"So what do we do?" Constantine asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"_**We**_?" Hunter asked, full of spite. "_**We**_ do not do anything. You can do whatever it is that you want, but I am going to defeat these monsters and take Diabolos back down where he belongs. I don't play well with others."

At this, Constantine got incredibly angry and threw his fists down onto the table, drawing the unwanted attention of everyone in the tavern. Thirio looked especially frightened as a few thugs started to come near, but Hunter just waved his hand and they sat back down, acting as if nothing had happened.

"That is bull—"Constantine sputtered, his anger getting the best of him. "We have been given a mission and we intend to complete that mission, with or without you. Now," he said, getting down low and practically growling at Hunter. "Admittedly, it will be loads easier with you on our side, but we will do what we have to. You can't deny that you could use a couple extra hands in this suicidal mission from the damned Immortals who probably don't even care if you survive in the end. So, don't just write us off as nothing; help us and let us help you. We need to find a way to the River Styx and then down to the Underworld to find the Demon Lord and, at least, rescue the princesses before they meet a fate worse than death. So, what do you say?"

He could feel a cold glare coming from beneath Hunter's hood as he seethed quietly. "Well, first off, I say to you, Constantine: why are you here? What does this mission hold for you?" Hunter asked quietly, an underlying anger seeping out. "I know why your friends are here, but why are you here? Why are you so damned adamant to get my help? I can't figure that part out. You tell me why you are here and then maybe I will consider your proposal."

Constantine was angered at the audacity that this man possessed. Surely, it was none of his business why he was here; what did it matter what his reasons were for fighting the demons. If he wanted to fight and kill the demons then it shouldn't make a difference what his reasoning was. The tension in the air between the two men grew and Thirio was beside himself; he did not know what to do to quell the storm brewing between them. He just kept looking from one face to another, trying to see who would break first. He desperately wanted both Hunter and Constantine on his mission, but he had spent enough time with Constantine to know better than to pressure him into revealing his personal feelings.

Constantine could feel the cold glare boring into his eyes as he contemplated the stranger's request, knowing that his answer could make or break any deal with Hunter; and despite however little he knew Thirio, he did not want to be the cause of his failure.

"My reasons," Constantine began, an eerie calm settling into his voice. "Are my own and I shouldn't have to justify myself to anyone." He paused and he could almost feel Thirio's sigh as he heard it. "But if you think it would make any difference then here it is: All of my life, my father has taught me about heroes and glory and Divine intervention, but he has always told me the truth about these false conceptions. If you want to be a hero and have glory, then you can do it and you do not need anyone's help. I am here, mostly, because my father wants me to be the hero he could never be. I am also here to show everyone that a mortal human, like myself, can defeat a monster like the Demon Lord without the help of any of those damned Gods! The people need to know that they don't have to rely on them to succeed in life. _**That**_ is why I am here."

Considering that Hunter was said to be here at the request of those same gods he just blasphemed, Thirio waited for the storm to come into port and the fight to ensue and all hope to be lost. But Hunter merely just stared at him, not saying a single word as he took a sip from his mug. It looked as though he was thinking about his response, but unfortunately, it was lost to a blood-curdling scream echoing from outside the tavern. All three men swiveled around to look outside and they could see the shadows of the people running every which way around the town, trying to hide.

Without saying a word, Hunter seemed to glide right out of his chair and began to move towards the door, but Constantine stood up quickly and firmly grabbed his arm to keep him from moving.

"What do you think you are doing?" he hissed at Hunter. "You can't fight with that much alcohol in your system!"

It all seemed to happen instantaneously as Thirio watched with an open mouth; Hunter growled menacingly and took the mug he was drinking out of, threw it into Constantine's face, and was disappearing out the door before anyone could even comprehend what had happened. Thirio just stood there, afraid to do or say anything. After what seemed like forever, he moved forward and put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Thirio asked timidly.

"Water," Constantine muttered as he wiped his face off. "It was just _**water**_. Why the hell didn't he say so?!"

Before Thirio could respond, Constantine was on the move, heading outside to join in the fray. Thirio just shrugged and followed his friend to see what horrors lay outside for them. As he reached the doorframe he could see that Nereus was on his horse already and was in the midst of fighting one of the demons who had landed on the ground. His eyes next found Constantine rushing across the courtyard to find Hunter and, hopefully, help him and not yell at him. Thirio's eyes gazed across the horrific scene that lay before him: there were at least two dozen demons flying around or running through the town, terrorizing people and buildings alike. He saw demons swooping down and grabbing horses and cows and flying off, blood dripping back down onto the ground. There were already fires sprouting up everywhere and quite a few people looked to be seriously injured on the ground.

Thirio had already proved himself to be somewhat worthless in battle and so he did the only thing he could think of: he rushed into the melee and started to tend to people who were lying on the ground. He was able to recruit a few more good Samaritans to help him and they started to usher people into the only place the demons were not going near, the Temple of Apollo. As he was rushing people to safety, he looked around and saw that Hunter had already taken down three demons and was in the process of taking down his fourth. Now that he could see him in the light, Thirio thought he looked quite small and petite to be some great demon hunter. But now was not the time to be distracted, so he turned his attention back to the wounded and let the others do the fighting.

Meanwhile, Constantine had hurried into the courtyard to aide Hunter and the small army that had stayed behind to fight the oncoming demons. He spotted Hunter and noticed, as Thirio had, how small the man really was. Despite his stature, though, the man fought very well and was doing better than anyone else seemed to be. He lowered his head to avoid being picked up by a demon and ran to fight alongside Hunter. As he was brandishing his sword, Hunter felt another body slam up against his back and was about to turn around when he heard the unmistakable growl.

"You could have just _**told**_ me it was water!" Constantine jeered in his ear, earning a chuckle out of Hunter.

"And what fun would that have been for me?" Hunter smirked, as he thrust his sword into the belly of one of the beasts, bringing it down hard on the ground.

Constantine just ignored the retort and continued fighting, annoyed that this little creature had brought down almost half a dozen of these winged demons and he had yet to kill one of them. And so, the two continued to fight back to back, using a combination of swords and a bow and arrows to maim the horde of demons attacking the city. Constantine was able to spot Nereus holding his own with Delphi's small army and Thirio ushering people to safety and risking his life to save others amidst the chaos. It seemed like hours of fighting had passed before it felt like a dent was even being made in the minion population.

It looked to be down to a few demons left and most of them were fighting with the army and losing greatly. Constantine took a second to survey the bloody surroundings and could see, at least, three or four human casualties, which really was not bad. He was just about to turn to Hunter and give his remark when he heard the swish of his cape and the sound of running feet.

He turned around to see Hunter racing across the courtyard in the opposite direction of where the main battle was. He didn't see what had sparked this action and so he continued to watch as Hunter raced across the town, evidently going after something. He watched as Hunter raced against the very wind, using every ounce of energy to propel his body forward. He gave a loud whistle and Constantine started to move forward, thinking that Hunter was calling him. It only took a second, though, before he realized that was not the case; out of nowhere the most gorgeous white horse came barreling into the city and towards Hunter. Constantine watched with amazement as Hunter merely held out his hand and grabbed the reins to swing himself up onto the magnificent horse, neither of them breaking their momentum.

"Hurry, Pegasus!" Hunter yelled to the horse, leaning forward in hopes of moving faster.

It was then, finally, that Constantine saw what had made Hunter move like that; up ahead in the sky a lone demon was flying erratically, its side torn open and obviously trying to make one last attempt at escape. But that wasn't what had made Hunter move, he noticed, and he also ran to get his horse and follow close behind to try and help.

In the claws of the wretched demon lay a small girl, a child that the demon had scooped up. Constantine saw Hunter draw his bow and arrows, aiming at the demon, but he was so hard to target with his chaotic movements and Constantine could tell that he did not want to hurt the little girl in his grip. He watched as Hunter whispered into the horse's ear and the two sped up even more, bringing them right underneath the demon. Suddenly, Hunter stood up on the horse's back and aimed up into the demon's neck. With a loud screech, the creature buckled and dropped the girl; Hunter moved incredibly fast and dove off of his horse to grab the falling girl.

Constantine rode past them to kill the demon for good, hoping that they were both okay. He raced against time, it seemed, and aimed very carefully at the flying monster. It only took two shots and the beast was on the ground in front of him, but the fight was not out of him yet. He swiped at Constantine and cut a deep gash into his upper left thigh. He yelled out in pain and drew his sword, swiping upward and taking the demon's head with it. He dropped to the ground momentarily and then, remembering the people behind him, took a deep breath and got back up onto his horse to find them.

What he found, though, was even more of a surprise than the attack from the now-dead demon. Constantine saw them laying on the ground, the little girl safe and crying in Hunter's arms and Hunter's hood was knocked off. He watched as shortly-cut black hair (that seemed to glow purple in the right light) moved freely in the wind as Hunter stood up and brought the little girl as well.

Hunter seemed to feel the eyes just staring and turned around to face Constantine. "What?" was all he got before Hunter turned back around and lifted the little girl onto the horse before getting on as well.

Constantine could do nothing but stare, open-mouthed, as they rode back into town to meet a victorious army and Thirio and Nereus running up to meet them.

"Wow you were amazing!" Thirio gushed, getting closer. "I saw you catch that little girl as you dove off your horse and then—whoa!"

Thirio stopped and stared as well as Hunter got off the horse and handed the little girl to a crying woman who had run up to find her daughter.

"What is your problem?" was all Hunter could say again, glaring at the three men who could not help but stare. "Do you all have a problem with something?"

Nereus just looked at everyone before he directed his question to his two companions. "Did you two know about this? Because you look just as surprised as I do."

Thirio and Constantine just shook their heads, neither able to find their voices at the moment. Hunter just harrumphed and began to walk away, leading the horse to a nearby water trough. "You all act like you've never seen one before," was all they heard amidst the chuckling.

Thirio was the first to respond. "Well of course we've seen one before! But we just, we d-didn't know you were a, a-a-a-a …… you know!"

Hunter just chuckled and petted the horse. "No, I don't know, please inform me of this urgent information you seem to have come across."

Thirio ignored the sarcasm and pointed at Hunter, his expression priceless. "B-but you're a, a--!"

* * *

A/N: Lol sorry I couldn't resist with a little cliffhanger. I'm sure you have all figured this out by now, but if you haven't then you're in for a surprise. NEXT: Hunter joins in on the mission and reveals some much-needed truth to Constantine.

I hope you all enjoyed! Please hit that little review button down there and let me know what you think!

L8r Daze,

SCP


	3. Chapter 3

Teen Titans

Titan Mythology: The Chronicles of the Dark Time

Chapter Three

A/N: So here it is, the third chapter of this lil' mind trip of mine that no one is reading. Does it really suck that bad? Or is it that confusing or what? I don't know. Oh well. I'm still writing it. There will probably be two or three more chapters and that includes an epilogue that will tie in with the series from tv. Sorry if it really sucks, if you need to ask some questions or give some criticism, go ahead and comment; I'll just be glad some ONE has taken the time to at least try and read it. Here goes, enjoy! ~SCP

* * *

"—a girl!"

Hunter just chuckled again and re-fastened a few bags to her horse's saddle. "Yes I am, even though I would prefer the term 'woman.' Are you sure you've seen one before? Because you are definitely having the reaction of a man who _has_ never seen one before."

Thirio frowned at her and crossed his arms over his chest. "Yes, of course I have seen one before, don't be so crass. I do have a betrothed, in case you didn't remember. I think I enjoyed you better as a creepy, mysterious man."

Hunter just shook her head and turned her attention to Constantine. "And what about you? You haven't said anything yet. What awful comments are you brewing inside that head of yours?"

Constantine dismounted from his horse and kept staring at her. "How?" was all he could muster.

"How what?" Hunter asked, getting out a brush and pampering her horse.

"How," Constantine asked. "How are you a woman?"

Hunter just snorted and had a look of disbelief on her face. "Well you see, Constantine, when a woman gets pregnant…..well, honestly, I don't really know how, it just happens I suppose. Sometimes you get a boy, sometimes you get a girl and-"

"That is NOT what I meant," Constantine said, shaking out of his stupor. "What I meant was: why did you pretend to be a woman? And how did you ever learn how to fight like that? Women weren't meant to fight, not like men."

"What?" Hunter asked, putting a hand on her hip and glaring at the imposing man. "Do all women have to be fragile and weak and subservient to men?! What about all of the Goddesses? None of them are weak or fragile, does that count for nothing?" She paused to take a deep breath and rid herself of the anger bubbling up. "And I never pretended to be a man; everyone simply thought because I kept to myself I was a man. Besides, I think people felt more comforted by the fact that it was a man supposedly sent by the Gods to help them."

"But Hunter-" Thirio interrupted.

"Please, that's not my name," she said. "Hunter is not my given name; it is simply a nickname everyone has given me. My real name is Ava; it's just a little bit more… feminine now that you know the truth."

"Alright then, Ava it is," Thirio conceded. "So, are you really the one sent by the Gods to help save us against the demon Diabolos? Have the Gods truly sent us a savior?"

Ava just sighed. "Yes, I am the one sent by them to fight against Diabolos. Does it make a difference now that you know I am a woman?"

Thirio responded softly, "No, it does not matter. I was merely wondering why they would have sent a woman, and I don't mean that in a condescending manner. When a man is sent is sent into battle it is because he wishes to prove himself or the Gods want him to become a legend. I am not sure that I understand the reasoning behind sending a woman."

Constantine and Nereus raised their eyebrows at the depth of their friend's question. It too had been on their minds but they weren't sure as how to phrase it. With it finally being asked, all attention was turned to the lone female in the group.

"I was sent for personal reasons," Ava responded somewhat curtly. "The Gods have always held me in highest confidence and they simply told me it was my destiny. I was created specifically for the demise of Diabolos. That is all they told me and all I needed to know."

"Were you meant to fight along with us?" Nereus spoke.

"That was something new, I suppose," Ava replied. "The Gods don't always know every little thing that will happen. Sometimes a person's fate can change, and sometimes it was always meant to be."

Having said that, Ava leaped onto her horse and looked down at the three men. "Are you boys coming? Or am I still in this alone?"

Nereus, Thirio, and Constantine all stammered out pathetic excuses as they each found their horse, fixed their belongings on it and jumped on. They rushed to catch up to the petite woman, still spewing out excuses and statements.

* * *

They rode on in silence with the men riding a little ways behind Ava and her glorious white horse. They didn't exactly know where they were going and, as much as they hated to admit it, Ava did know and they really had no choice but to follow her. No one really knew what to say, even the talkative Thirio, even though most of them had numerous questions racing throughout their mind. Finally, it was Nereus who broke the silence.

"Miss Ava," he asked, urging his horse faster so he could ride alongside of her. "You seem to know more about all of this than any of us do; do you think you would mind answering a few questions?"

Ava seemed to consider it, pausing before nodding her head in response. "What do you know already?"

"Not much, just who is attacking, where he is attacking, and why he has most likely taken the women across the land," he answered.

"_Has_ taken," Ava replied sharply. "I'm sorry to sound so harsh, but you must face the reality of the situation if you are ever going to address it. You need to realize what exactly is on the line and what needs to be done in order to prevent anything dire from happening. Do you understand?"

Nereus just nodded in response, furrowing his brow and dropping back just a little.

"All of you must understand how horrific things are going to be," Ava continued, talking over her shoulder to the other men behind her. "I will not hold back any truths from you and I expect the same. If there is something you do not think you can do, please tell me and step aside so that someone else can handle the situation. No secrets."

At this, Thirio could tell Nereus did not want to ask any more questions so he rode up next to her, taking Nereus' place and Constantine rode up on the other side of her. Nereus seemed to snap out of his thoughts and rode back up to the other side of Thirio and they all rode in an equal line.

"I have a question," Thirio spoke up. He looked to Ava for permission before continuing, "Your horse, I've noticed, is quite unusual. You two seem to have an unspoken bond and he is quite majestic. He is also a little bit taller, stronger, and more alabaster than any white horse I have ever laid eyes on. I noticed that you called him 'Pegasus' too….. Seeing as how you have been sent from the Immortals is it safe to assume…. Well, I think you know where my question is leading."

"Are you asking if my Pegasus is _the_ Pegasus?" Ava asked, chuckling at the childlike sincerity of the question. "As in the same Pegasus that has been talked about in the legends of yore?"

"Yes, yes I am," Thirio replied with a tiny smile. "Your Pegasus does not have wings, but I have yet to be surprised by what the Gods are capable of."

Both parties ignored the derisive snort that came from Constantine's direction and continued their light banter.

"Maybe, maybe not," Ava countered with a reflective smile. "That is Pegasus' secret to tell, not mine."

"Well, what secrets _can_ you tell us?" Constantine interrupted with underlying malice in his voice.

"Constantine, please do not be rude to our new friend," Thirio argued. "She has been nothing but agreeable with us."

"And why should I be respectable?" he retorted. "She has told us nothing of herself or anything that we did not already know! She says she is sent from the Gods, whom I do not trust with a single hair on my head; how do we know she does not mean us any harm? She fells the demons quite easily, maybe she is on the side of Diabolos and has plans to dispose of us and use us to help Diabolos take over the world!"

"That is simply ridiculous!" Nereus responded, a tinge of anger in his words. "Ava has given us no reason to distrust her. In fact, if anyone has given us grief, pieces of the truth, or a gruff attitude it has been you, Constantine! Why do you seek to unseat everything she says?"

"She is on the side of the blasted Immortals!" Constantine argued. "They play very sneaky and twisted games with the lives of men. You may think all of the Gods and Goddesses are holier than thou, but truly some of them have some quite sordid histories more so than others."

"I think now may be the best time to stop for the night," Ava said sternly, stopping a fight before it happened. "We have half of a day's ride to the River Styx left so I think it would be prudent to stop, set up camp, eat something, and get some rest before tomorrow."

No one said anything but they all growled in agreement, finding a clearing to settle down for the night. There was a river nearby and so, while Thirio and Ava got a fire started and set up some sort of a campsite, Nereus and Constantine went down to the river to find some fish to eat, along with some edible berries in the bushes close by. Most of the work was done quietly and within the hour, the entire camp was set-up, the fire was roaring, and the fish were boiling in a large pot over the flickering flames that Ava provided. After the food was cooked, they ate in silence, each of them trying to find something worthwhile to talk about and break the awkward silence.

"If you gentlemen will excuse me," Ava suddenly said, setting her plate down and grabbing some clothes from her tent. "I need to freshen up since it has been a rather tough battle. If you choose to, in the left pockets of Pegasus' saddle, there are a couple of bottles of wine. Please feel free to help yourselves in my absence."

Ava left, going into the trees to find her way to a farther spot off of the river that she knew existed; there was a small pool and waterfall a little ways up the river where she could bath without an audience. As soon as she had disappeared into the trees, Thirio practically jumped up from his spot and ran to the saddle to see what Ava had brought.

"You would think this saddle is magical!" Thirio spoke with glee and he came back to the fireside, carrying five bottles of the very best wine all of Greece had to offer. "The saddle bags are not very large and there are still MORE bottles of wine in there and you can hardly tell. It's amazing!"

"One would think you had already downed a bottle by the way you are speaking, Thirio," Constantine commented, a small smile creeping onto his face.

Nereus laughed at his friend and Thirio just made a face to both of them as he handed each of them a bottle, placing a bottle in Ava's place and keeping the spare next to him in the shadows for later. All three of them opened their bottles at the same time, smelling the bouquet and almost melting at the rich, flowery fragrance that exuded from the bottle. It had been a long time since these men had some of the best wine in the land and they found themselves helpless in the presence of such powerful drink. In no time, they had about half of their bottles gone, the three of them singing old folk songs very loudly and very off-key. They did not even notice that Ava had been gone for some time now.

Constantine had drunk his fair share of powerful spirits in his time and so he was able to hold his own a little more than the princes. Although he had joined the off-key singing, Constantine was merely enjoying the freedom he was feeling at being so far away from home and duties, which led to a newfound feeling of guilt at leaving his father as well. He excused himself from the reveling princes and walked, a little wobbly, into the woods for some peace and time to think about his home and family.

Before he knew it, he had wandered quite a ways into the woods and had gotten turned around. He stopped for a moment and listened for the sound of the river so he could find it and follow it back. As he was listening, he heard more splashes at odd intervals and decided to investigate; maybe he would find a small animal and they could cook that as well, giving them a little more meat than the fish could provide. He moved quietly into the woods, following the sound of the splashes and what he could now tell was the rushing sounds of a small waterfall. As he got closer to the falls, he moved behind a tree to see what was making the odd disturbances he was hearing.

As he peered out over the small lake that fed into the larger river he was surprised at what he was seeing; right in front of the waterfall was the petite body of their newest companion, completely naked. At first Constantine could not believe it was Ava, for this woman had her hair down and he had not even known that Ava's hair could be that long and luxurious. She stood with her back to him, the water coming to rest right above her tailbone; her long, black hair rested right at her hips, leaving just enough skin for Constantine to blush at. She reached up and lathered her hair with some soap she carried with her, allowing Constantine's eyes to have more access to her small frame.

He could see all of her back and, when she turned just right, the sides of her petite breasts; he wanted desperately to turn away, but his body seemed rooted in the spot where he lay hidden behind the tree. When Ava was finished lathering her hair, she moved forward into the waterfall to wash her hair clean, turning around completely and Constantine nearly choked as he watched the rushing water cascade down her naked chest. He was entirely mesmerized by the beauty before him and he could not understand the hold she had over him. He had met plenty of pretty women before, but none of them ever seemed to affect him like Ava had so far.

Part of him wanted to join her in the water, but at the same time he felt like it was a sin to even be thinking those awful thoughts. He watched as she swam around afterwards, taking in every inch of her that he could see, from the top of her hair to the tips of her toes…..her toes….Constantine's eyes narrowed as he looked down by her feet. There was something that did not belong around her ankles and it distracted him from the impure thoughts that had recently invaded his mind. He shifted quietly behind the trees to get a closer look, the alcoholic haze having disappeared long ago. When he was finally able to see her ankles, images and tales of a story long ago told to him by his father swam around his mind and suddenly an incredible fury overtook him and it took all of his strength not to jump from his hiding spot and yell at the woman in the water. He waited until he was calm again and swiftly moved away from the water, almost running back towards the campsite, thinking the entire time about how betrayed he felt by the young woman supposedly helping them.

* * *

When he reached the fireside again, Thirio and Nereus turned to him, not even remembering him leaving and having both finished their bottles of wine. Constantine sat harshly next to them and finished off his own bottle, every drink seeming to burn his very insides. The two princes kept to themselves, knowing by now not to bother the young man who had agreed to help them. After what seemed like forever, Ava finally reappeared through the trees, her hair back up into a bun and her womanly frame hidden beneath a few layers of clothes. She merely offered a small smile at the scene before her, placed her remaining things in her tent and sat down in her former spot, bringing out a small glass and pouring herself one small drink of wine.

"Ava!" Thirio announced suddenly, making a funny face as he almost spilt his last swig of wine. "You're back! You've been gone agesh!....... Where did you find such wonderful wine? It is simply divine!"

Ava just giggled quietly as he hiccupped and nodded in response. "I needed to bath up the river some. I trust you have been enjoying my wine? It was a gift from the Gods, just like my Pegasus."

Thirio and Nereus offered huge grins and empty bottles to answer her question. She then turned her attention to the sour-faced loner next to her. "And what of you, Constantine? How does my wine agree with your taste buds? Based on looks alone, I would say you do not care for such good wine."

"The wine is fine enough," Constantine growled. "But it has been sullied by the hands of the Immortals above."

Ava frowned. "Obviously, despite where it has come from, it did not stop you from drinking the entire bottle. Your prejudice against the Gods does not stop you from drinking their wine, but it obviously creates an unpleasant taste for those who offer it to you."

Thirio and Nereus suddenly seemed to lose their happy demeanor at the harsh words being uttered across from them. They liked both Ava and Constantine equally enough and were ashamed that Constantine felt he needed to argue with their newest friend.

"Well, forgive me then!" he retorted, sneering and raising the bottle, smashing it into the fire, causing the two princes to flinch at his actions. "I did not realize I was not being consistent with my prejudices. Thank you, O' Savior sent from the Immoral Immortals above. How can I ever repay you?"

"Stan, I really wish you wouldn't blaspheme in front of the woman that the Gods and Goddesses themselves supposedly _handpicked_ to save to the world," Thirio spoke quietly, staring into the flames of the fire.

"I could care less about what I say in front of the Immortals' '_chosen one_'," Constantine spat back, glancing over at Ava, sneering somewhat. "They matter not to me, and they never will."

"Why do you harbor such malice and hate towards the Immortals?" Ava asked quietly, turning her gaze slowly onto the young man.

"They have ruined my life and my family's life for no reason!" Constantine growled, earning a reproachful look from the princes. "They meddle in the lives of the humans beneath them and they do not belong down here! They should learn to keep to themselves and to stop using us humans as their entertaining toys!"

"And is this your true opinion?" Ava asked, very simply, very direct.

"And what does that mean?" Constantine responded, glaring at her. "What else could it be?"

Ava paused, knowing that this conversation could go a multitude of ways. She was about to partially reveal herself with the knowledge she would be giving, but she hoped that she could pull off her omniscient remarks without raising enough suspicion.

"Your father's," she replied, matter-of-factly. "You have never personally dealt with the Gods, I do know that, for the Gods and Goddesses have confided in me the dealings of those I have and would encounter, should I need to know. Your feelings about the Immortal ones stems from your father's hate and, being the independent individual you appear to be, you have fallen into step right behind him for no apparent, or logical, reason. So why, might I ask, do _you_ hate them so much?"

Constantine was taken aback by the knowledge Ava had of him and his family, not liking the fact that an outsider would know so much, or that the Gods would feel compelled to tell his life story to a stranger, savior or not. "You say I have no personal dealings with them?" he asked, gritting his teeth. "Despite what you may think you know, my father's feelings are enough, I would think, to warrant my dislike of the Gods. My father has told me the story of how the Gods took everything away from him for no 'apparent or logical reason.' They have destroyed my family; I would hope it would be obvious seeing as how you know everything about me and all."

Constantine sneered at the petite woman, making the princes watch in utter silence. They could not fathom how someone could be that bold and outright at someone who was sent to help them, making such outrageous claims against those powerful ones who, in their minds, looked out for and took care of the human race, interfering when necessary.

Ava just stared at Constantine, the orange flames licking one side of her face, illuminating it and giving half of her face an eerie porcelain façade, her hidden beauty appearing and disappearing as rapidly as the flames flickered. The other half of her face was shrouded in shadow at the same time, making her one eye glow slightly and making her look almost demonic, ready to unravel even the strongest man in mere seconds.

"Did you ever think," she began quietly, making her huntress-like move. "That maybe your father was not telling you the entire story?"

Constantine's sneer faded at the accusation and he was at a loss for words. How dare this immaterial woman even suggest that his father was less than the righteous and noble man he was! His insides were boiling trying to think of what to say, his brain going into overtime, trying to keep himself from reaching out and striking the feminine stranger.

Sensing his anger, Ava moved on, finally putting to rest one of the issues she had had in the past, hoping to finally clear the air and make light of a very important past event.

"I am not trying to implicate that your father is untrustworthy," she began, keeping an even tone.

"Then just what are you implying wom-," Constantine snarled, his eyes fixated on the woman.

"Do _not_ interrupt me," Ava growled back, silencing the young man in one harsh hush. "You may not speak until I have finished, do you understand?" She paused for a mere second, not letting Constantine respond verbally. "Good. Now you _will_ listen to me and, once I have finished telling you the truth, the _entire_ truth, then you can either keep your original opinions or make new ones; either way I will not force the subject again, but you will listen to what I have to say in its entirety and I can assure you that my version _is_ the truth."

She stopped again, letting it sink in and hoping that no one would question just how she knew her story was the accurate version of events. She took a deep breath, set her eyes upon Constantine's eyes and began telling the story of one of the most painful times in her life.

"Some of what your father has told you may be, in fact, the truth, but he does seem to leave quite a bit out of his story when he tells it to those around him. But, you see, he tends to forget the reasoning behind what the Gods did to him because, despite what the Gods did _right_ for him, what they took away, in his mind, pales in comparison. Polemistis used to be one of the Immortals' favorites; he was young, charming, independent, and he wanted to make more of his life in order to help out his family and others in need, nothing for mere personal gain. The Gods and Goddesses took great pride in him and wanted nothing more than to make him happy; they gave him everything he asked for and more, watching out for him at every turn.

"Polemistis asked for knowledge and wisdom beyond his years was bestowed upon him, he wanted to learn how to fight and the best teachers in the art of fighting came to train him; he asked for friends, for a wealth he could earn and a love to share it with and all of them were swiftly given to him. He praised the Gods at every turn and everyone around him turned to the Gods in their times of need in hopes to receive the same rewards and help he had. Before the great Trojan War, Polemistis came to the Gods on Mount Olympus and begged for their help, one last time he said.

"His love, Charissa, had been trying to get with child but they had not yet been successful. Troubled times were on the horizon and they knew, at any time, Polemistis could be called away to fight in the war. The Gods, of course wanting to make him happy, agreed and soon after they left Mount Olympus, Polemistis and Charissa found she was with child. Unfortunately, the Gods could not foresee the actions of Paris and Polemistis was soon called away to fight in the war against the Trojans; he had to leave his pregnant wife but he promised he would return to see the birth of his child, even if it meant leaving the battlefield in the heat of the moment. The Gods made him swear an oath upon this, for an oracle had predicted that the favorite of the Immortals would go back upon his given word; Polemistis swore up and down that he would return at any moment for the birth of the child he so greatly desired.

"And so, Polemistis went off to fight in the Trojan War, promising to return immediately when his child was born. The Immortals felt that their faith in him was enough to keep them from worrying about a supposed betrayal. One Goddess in particular, Alexis, the protector of all mankind, had a great affection for the human, feeling that his heart was as pure as it could possibly be and she fought the hardest to convince the other Gods and Goddesses that Polemistis was good for his word; should Polemistis fail, it would break her heart and she would forever be ashamed of letting her emotions get in the way of a mortal's life. She took great care to watch over Charissa during her pregnancy, convincing Hermes to help out and deliver letters back and forth quickly between the human lovers.

"As each day went by, the Gods and Goddesses grew more and more nervous, wondering if their favorite human would truly betray them and everything they had given him; finally, after nine painstaking months, the day of the child's birth was to happen. Alexis sent Hermes out at once, as soon as the new thread was starting to be woven into the tapestry, to fetch Polemistis for the birth of his child. The Gods were, surprisingly, not worried when the moment came for there had been a lull in the battle for each side to bury their dead, tend to their wounded, and just to rest. Hermes reached Polemistis in his fastest time ever, bringing the news of the impending birth and a Pegasus himself to get him to his wife in time. The Gods waited with bated breath as Polemistis looked at Hermes and Pegasus and then back to his friends and fellow warriors."

Ava paused here, allowing herself a moment to collect her emotions so that the painful tears would not cascade down her face, as she was used to whenever she was to relive this story. She could almost feel the tension as it was back then, her heart tightening in her chest and everyone watching, no one talking as they waited for Polemistis' answer. That day was the very day they were to be let down and defied like no other; they never believed that one human could bring so much pain to the Heavens. Ava looked around as the three men held on with rapt attentions, especially Constantine, whom she couldn't read just yet. She took a deep breath and dove back into her painful memories.

"He looked Hermes straight in his eyes and told him….. 'No.' Alexis fell to her knees up in Olympus, the world going in slow motion around her. Her mothers, Athena and Aphrodite ran out and went as quickly as possible down to meet the young man. They were there within seconds to find out what could possibly have caused their warrior to turn back on his agreement. Alexis could not hear or see what was happening, but she felt it in her heart. Polemistis had let his love of battle and his loyalty to his friends to interfere with his promise; the Gods had known that he was passionate about the wars he was involved in and that they often consumed his every waking moment until they were over with and won. They had hoped, since he had so desperately wanted a child that he would walk away from the battle for one moment in return to witness this very special one. They had hoped, and they had been crushed; with this one word, their entire faith in the human race had been shaken to the very core.

"Athena and Aphrodite came down to the young warrior in the form of a few local maidens and questioned him in quite fervor. Polemistis said he could not be bothered to leave the battlefield, not even for a second and that he was needed here and he could not subject his friends and his armies to a certain death just to see his wife give birth. He said that he would see his child when he returned home and not a moment too soon, that there was nothing that would change that for he knew, no matter how angry or hurt they were, the Immortals would not let him die like that.

"The Goddesses begged and pleaded with him to change his mind, saying that they knew of the other side's intentions and that the battle would not begin again for a few days, which was enough time to see the birth of his child and be back in time to fight again. He stood fast and refused to budge even in the slightest and so the Goddesses left, angry and hurt at his decision. The Gods could not let their faith be shaken that easily as so they gave him another chance, letting a day pass as Charissa gave birth. Hermes and Pegasus returned again the next day during the continued lull in battle, bringing Polemistis the news that Charissa had given birth to a handsome young son whom she had named Constantine, the steadfast, in honor of his father. Polemistis gave a small smile but still refused to return home for any amount of time, saying that the battle needed him there.

"Again, the Gods could not fathom why Polemistis was going back on his word like this and they could not bring themselves to give up on him either. But they could not bring themselves to take pity on Polemistis and his family either, so when the news came that the Fates had decided to bring a deathly illness to Charissa in her weakened state as a response to his broken oath, the Gods did not interfere for the first time ever with Polemistis' life. They waited another day and sent Hermes and Pegasus one last time for one last chance. They brought the news that Charissa was ill and that Polemistis should take their last offer to see his beloved wife one last time and to meet his newborn son. Polemistis could not and would not believe the news that Hermes brought, believing that the Gods were lying to him just so that he would leave the battlefield. He had become so cocky and confident that he would forever be in the Gods' favor that nothing could ever break the bond he held with them.

"He knew that the Gods were angry with him for going back on his word, but he never thought he would anger them enough to let him suffer in any way possible. He knew that the Goddess Alexis held him in the highest regards and that she would fight for him and would not let anything happen to him. He thought he knew the inner workings of those high on Mount Olympus. Alexis had, in truth, fought with the other Immortals, claiming that they could not let an innocent woman and child take the fall for Polemistis' wrongdoings. They had done nothing wrong, why should they be punished?! But the Gods wanted Polemistis to suffer for his betrayal; they had given them everything and he threw it away in a heartbeat just so he could sit and enjoy the campfire with his friends. His love of the work he did in battle was outweighing any responsibilities and feeling s for those outside of the battle lines.

"And so, they took everything they had ever given him away. He had asked for love and so they let Charissa slip into nothingness the next day. He had asked for wealth and so a fire consumed his entire house and currency, leaving nothing but his stable and blacksmith tools standing. He had begged for a child but the Gods did have some compassion and could not make themselves kidnap or kill a small and innocent child. In return, they felled Polemistis. When the battle began again a few days later Polemistis was bested by a mere child who had joined the Trojan army and he was blinded. The Gods may not have been able to take away his son, but they could take away his sight so that he could no longer fight and would never set eyes upon his only son, whom he had so desperately craved. Polemistis was forced to leave the battlefield and return home, only to find nothing but his old servant, Aloysius and son living in the stables outside. It was the only time he would be grateful he could not see the destruction that was left in the wake of his decision.

"Polemistis cursed the Immortals everyday and withdrew any allegiance he had ever sworn with them, believing that they had no right to take away anything from him, that he had not deserved this punishment. He had lost his home, his money, his time on the battlefield, his wife and he would never get to see the son he so desired. Before he cursed them away, he begged for days for someone to come to him and tell him why they had done this, but no one ever came. They would not listen now that he had turned his back on them; Alexis sobbed every time he raised his voice to the Heavens, her heart throbbing at extreme betrayal. Finally over time Polemistis stopped calling altogether and starting cursing them every chance he got.

"It was only because of a young soldier named Andronicus that Polemistis was able to get back on his feet. Andronicus had taken pity on the older warrior after he came home from the War and so he helped to raise Constantine and had his father, King Adrianus, take any blacksmith business out to Polemistis and Aloysius, bringing back some of his wealth and rebuilding a small home for the three men. When Andronicus became King, he continued his generosity but he always tried to convince Polemistis to forgive the Gods, admit his sins, and enjoy the life he had left him and his son. But Polemistis refused and still refuses to acknowledge he was wrong to this day."

* * *

Ava finished her story, letting everything sink in and hoping that this news would give Constantine a different view of the world around him. Everyone looked to the young man, wondering which way he was about to take the truth that was laid before him. Constantine very carefully filed the information away where it was needed before bringing up the information that had been brewing about in his head for the last hour or so.

"Whatever truly happened to my father or not," he began carefully, looking directly at Ava. "Is between myself and my father, for a different time, and a different place."

Ava's eyes were flooded with many emotions for a split second before they vanished; she could not believe that he was so stubborn that he would not accept the truth when it was given to him straightforward. She could tell he had more to say and so she let her thoughts brew until the right moment came for her to talk again.

"But what concerns me the most," he continued, his glare hardening. "Are the markings you carry around your ankles. You may be able to spew the truths of those around you, but you fail to mention the truths which have brought you here. Maybe you should enlighten us about yourself instead of the past histories that no longer matter."

"Your ankles?" Nereus questioned, looking confused. "Markings? What is he talking about Ava?"

"You were watching me," Ava simply stated, no emotion at all in her voice.

Constantine just nodded. "I may have been, but I was glad I noticed the lies tattooed around your feet. You say you have been sent by the Gods, but it seems you have been blessed by a few Goddesses in particular."

"What are you trying to say, Constantine?" Thirio asked. "What does it matter with whom her Heavenly allegiances lie?"

"Tell them Ava," Constantine smirked. "The markings on your ankles, who are they a sign of?"

Ava simply lifted her clothes up so that the princes could see the odd symbols shaped around her ankles before covering them up again.

"The markings of Aphrodite and Athena," Thirio said out loud, looking even more confused now. "I do not understand, friend. What is wrong with those symbols? Both of those Goddesses are very powerful and influential, why would these bother you?"

"Because they reminded me of a story," Constantine answered. "A story that my father told me when I was a young boy, about a woman who bore the same markings as our friend Ava here." He paused, letting Ava respond, but she merely looked at him, allowing him to continue with his tirade.

"You see," he began again. "Ava was right in the fact that Alexis was quite fond of my father, but that my father always knew the terrible truth about her; that appearances are always deceiving when it comes to dealings with the Immortals. In fact, it holds quite a bit of relevance to our journey here today. Long ago, Diabolos tried to take over the Earth once before, but that time he tried an ancient method, one that Ava has already alluded to since we have met her."

"Impregnating a mortal woman," Ava clarified, confirming Constantine's story.

"Yes, exactly," he said, confusion flying across his face at her easy compliance. "He took a young woman who had fallen on hard times and promised her everything she had every dreamed of in return. But, Diabolos didn't just want an earthen heir, he wanted a universal heir; he wanted an heir to the Heavens above as well. He let his interest in the mortal woman be known and, in his favor, Athena AND Aphrodite came to save the woman.

"When they arrived, he used an ancient spell and pulled a small part of each of their souls from them before driving them back to Mount Olympus. He then proceeded to impregnate the mortal woman using his ancient powers, combining his soul with the pieces of the Goddesses' souls and placed the child in the woman's womb for it to grow properly."

"Diabolos thought it was the best plan ever," Ava interrupted. "But his greed made him ignorant to the obvious."

"Yes," Constantine growled, angry that she was agreeing with his 'horrific' story. "The child's soul was now divided into four parts: one part demon, one part human, and two parts immortal."

"So the child was a demi-god?" Nereus asked.

"Yes," Constantine answered. "And so, when the child was born the Goddesses, who were able to walk on the Earth unlike Diabolos, swiftly came down and grabbed the child by the ankles and took her back to Mount Olympus, leaving their markings on the child's ankles. Diabolos was angry that his chances were thwarted before he could get his hands on the child and so he took the mortal woman before the Goddesses could come back and he killed her. The Goddesses took the child then to be called their daughter and the story of her father was lost to the depths of the past and a new story of her birth came to be."

"Her name was Aryllia," Ava commented. "If you're going to talk about her sordid past, then please use her correct name. That mortal woman lost her life because of the trickery of an insolent demon."

Constantine ignored her compliance and continued. "Their daughter grew into the Goddess Alexis and she was given the title of 'Protector over Mankind,' something that my father and I have disagreed with since he told me the story. Something with such a squalid family line should not be the one to protect all of the humans; they should not be given the right to decide the Fate of the mortals when they are not as pure as the humans below would believe."

There was a stunned silence as Constantine finished his story; no one really knew how to respond to his allegations. Finally, Ava found the right words to his spitefulness.

"So what are you suggesting?" Ava asked. "What purpose does that history serve?"

"Wait a minute!" Thirio interjected, looking back and forth between the obviously bickering pair. "Are you saying that Constantine's story is true? That the Goddess Alexis is truly the daughter of that awful demon-lord?"

Ava just nodded in return. "That history was never hidden, but it was never talked about either," she said, cutting off Constantine's objections before he could voice them. "The Immortals felt that they would honor Aryllia's memory by not talking about the lies that led her to Diabolos' door. Where Alexis came from mattered not to them or to the mortals who knew of her true conception; she is still of true Goddess and has taken personally to look out for the humans she has been entrusted with."

"Right," Constantine grunted. "Make the Goddess come out on top in the end. Where is she now? Her beloved _father_ is here again, trying to take over the world and where are these Immortals? They are not down here. They send a simple woman to save the earth? I find that highly suspect."

"So what are you suggesting, Constantine?" Ava questioned sternly.

"All I am saying is that you surely must be more than a mere mortal woman," Constantine responded, sounding offended. "A woman bearing the same markings as the Goddess Alexis? This seems to be some kind of ploy by the Protector of Mankind herself. Alexis cannot make the appearance herself because she truly cannot protect the entire human race. But she wants it to seem like she can, so she sends a woman resembling her in her place. I find that to be simple cowardice because she knows she cannot defeat the demon-lord this time around."

"Are you trying to say that I am more than I appear to be?" Ava asked sincerely.

"I am simply asking who and, maybe, what you are," he answered. "Maybe if I knew more about you and where you came from, and why you were chosen, then I would feel more confident being in your presence."

Constantine was starting to lose some of his anger towards this woman and her Heavenly allegiances. The story of his father's past, real or not, had him rethinking everything he had ever been taught. He could see where his father's stubborn pride would spin the situation into his favor and he desperately wanted all of this to be over so he could go home and have a heart-to-heart with his father. Part of him wanted to not believe any of it and use it as a reason to hate this woman before him, but he found it harder and harder to be mad at her, to not want to hear from her; he was torn between hating her and wanting to hear her talk more, to know more about her, to watch her as she slept, to have a conversation with her not related to war and death and the Gods. He shook the thoughts out of his head and brought himself back to reality.

"You are just a mortal woman, are you not?" Thirio asked quietly, not knowing what to believe anymore. "Ava? You are not a Goddess in disguise, are you?"

Ava took a deep breath and looked at each man around her. "I, Ava, am a true mortal being. I had a mortal mother and never really knew my father. I was raised by two very wonderful women and I would give my life for them, as I am doing now. I have been chosen to lead this fight alone because it has been my destiny since I was born. I, alone, can destroy Diabolos and rid the world of him once and for all. I regret nothing in my life but, sometimes, I wish it were easier and less complicated than it has been. I long for love, life, and a true family someday." She paused to collect her emotions. "Is there anything else? Is there something more you would like to know about?"

All three men shook their heads slowly, feeling as if they were let into a secret chamber of Ava's life. Ava inwardly cringed at the truths she had laid out, hoping they would not question her further. What she told was, more or less, true. She was a mortal at the current moment, her mother was gone, her father was merely a story to her, she was raised by two wonderful and powerful women, and she was always destined for this battle. She did truly long for all she said, something she knew was, more than likely, impossible for her. Finding love and a family for someone like her was, usually, out of the question and ended up in more pain and sadness than necessary.

"If there are no more questions," Ava said gently, standing up from her position on the ground. "Then I am going to retire for the evening. We have a long day ahead of us and we should all get some well-needed rest."

She waited for the objections, looking mostly at Constantine, wondering just what thoughts were brewing in his mind at the moment. In reality, Constantine was thinking of something to say that would keep her here talking to him, or that would let him into her tent and they could have a private conversation, seeing as she knew quite a lot about him already. As hard as he racked his brain for something to say, in the end he came up with nothing.

"You should get some rest," he finally answered, getting up as well to find some dirt to put the fire out. "We should all get to sleep. We have a lot of riding and, most likely, fighting ahead of us."

Thirio and Nereus nodded, helping Constantine put the fire out as Ava said her peace before bed and slipped away into her tent. As soon as the fire was out, Nereus and Thirio went into their tents and were asleep within seconds. Constantine, on the other hand, sat just inside his tent, looking out over at Ava's, watching as her lantern illuminated the inside of her tent. He watched as her sylphlike shadow slipped into her dressing gown, knelt down to pray, and then finally the light went out and all was quiet. He couldn't help but watch her darkened tent, wondering what her face looked like as she slept, how her breathing would feel as he laid down beside her, holding her from behind, how she must have smelt as he inhaled her scent, everything about her consumed his thoughts. Eventually, he moved farther inside his tent and laid down, falling asleep with thoughts of Ava and images of the Goddess Alexis swirling around together inside his mind.


End file.
